Our Fitness Blog

4 Techniques That Can Harm Your Fitness Routine

It is no surprise that when many of us start a fitness routine we have no idea what we are doing. We have no plan, our goals are too easy or too hard to reach and our over eagerness to jump head first into our fitness routines can have a multitude of negative effects on our fitness routines. So, how can you rest assured that the fitness routine you start today will last a lifetime? I am so glad you asked. We have a list of many of the techniques that fitness newbies often mistakenly employ that no doubt will cause you to fail in your fitness routine.

Too much, too fast. A lot of us are just a little too over enthusiastic when it comes to starting a fitness routine. We want to see results fast, and that translates into intense workouts that last forever, right? This couldn't be more wrong. You will end up physically, mentally and emotionally drained or even worse sustain an injury. These factors can put an early end to your fitness routine, so you have to start out with baby steps. Try setting a few small goals and building on them. Then you can slowly begin to increase the intensity and duration of your workouts.

No rest days. This is similar to the too much, too fast mantra. You may think that you are getting the best results possible by going to the gym everyday; however, you would only be misleading yourself. Your body needs a rest every now and then. It has to repair the damage done to it from your intense workouts, and the only way to do this is to get plenty of sleep and allow your body the days off it needs to repair itself. You do not have to workout everyday to get the results that you want. Try giving yourself at least a day or two off a week or more if you are new to your fitness routine. You will be happy for those few days of rest, and it will show in your performance the next time you workout.

You do not have a detailed plan of action. Many of us believe that we can start a new exercise routine by basically showing up at the gym whenever we can and doing whatever we can. We do not have a detailed plan to follow or any guidelines to follow. We just jump in blindly and expect to see results. We can not just achieve our goals by wandering aimlessly throughout the gym. We have to make a plan. We need to set goals and write down how we expect to achieve them. It would help to write down a workout schedule and what exercises you plan to do in each session. Then keep an exercise journal that details what you actually did, how long you worked out and how close you have come to achieving your goals. As you can see, there is a lot of planning needed to maintain an effective fitness routine and achieve your goals.

Your goals are unrealistic. A lot of us begin a fitness routine with unrealistic goals in mind. We may think that we can lose twenty pounds in the first few days, but as most of us can see, this is impossible and would be very unhealthy if we could achieve it. We can never expect to see changes overnight. If it was that easy, everyone would workout for a few days a year and look perfect. Wouldn't that be great? However, as most of us know, it will take a while to see any visible changes in our bodies. So, we have to stay focused and motivated. You need to celebrate the little successes in your workouts in order to stay motivated to reach the bigger goals. You may have worked out a little longer or a little harder, you may not be as out of breath as before or you may be able to stretch a little farther. Those are all successes that took a lot of hard work. You should never overlook these, so try to reward yourself with a new outfit, a movie night with friends or some well deserved down time where you can read or go to the spa.

It can feel great when we accomplish our goals. We will feel extra motivated and ready to take on the world, but we have to take the time to make a plan and set reasonable goals. It can be trial and error in the beginning, but if you look hard enough, you can find the help and guidance you need to make your fitness routine a perfect fit for you.